Evelyn Vollet Office of Service & Justice Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver
Covers the entire social apostolate from social justice issues to human rights advocacy to corporal and spiritual works of mercy on behalf of the Archdiocese of Vancouver
Prison Ministry 170 active volunteers or 30,000 hours Over 24 years Communicate to over 35,000 each year Two programs Visit 300 persons in the 7 different prisons in the Valley Work in small groups of 3 5 persons supporting released inmates as they reintegrate into community
Private Sponsorship Refugee Ministry Past 2 years we have sponsored over 500 family link Iraqis to Vancouver Archdiocese sponsored 11% of the allotted Iraqis sponsorships in Canada! Father Sarmed and Father Basha work directly with this office to process the many applications 13 other Parishes in the Archdiocese have at least 1 sponsorship in progress Approval for recent expansion of program to include non family link sponsorships We have recently submitted our first non family link
Parish Outreach -Archdiocese Work with Homeless, Vulnerable, Marginalized Door is Open, Sisters of Atonement food programs Extreme Weather Shelter and Support Soup Kitchens run out off or are supported by 12 Parishes St Augustine/Grace Baptist/Kits Community Centre Shower Program AGAPE work with female street workers Work with the Poor, Working Poor, Shut ins, Abused Help Line for Domestic Abuse victims (Domestic Abuse Services OLGC) St Vincent de Paul Migrant Workers Refugee, Migrant, Immigrant, Trafficked More than 20 parishes and groups provide outreach programs such as: ESL, employment support, dinners, special masses
Youth/Young People Outreach -Archdiocese Youth Youth Day, Faith Formation, Youth for Christ Campus Ministers Supporting Social Justice clubs in the high schools Prep and Grade 7 Class Create toolkit for assisting teachers Train the teachers
Model of Operation for this Office is to Partner with Similarly Focused Groups extend our reach Development and Peace (CCODP) Loving our neighbours in the Global South St Vincent de Paul 24 conferences in our Parishes, 2 Thrift Stores in Vancouver Fair Trade Products Fair Trade Vancouver - Just Coffee Catholic Women s League (CWL) 55 Parishes have a council, hours & hours of service Knights of Columbus (K of C) 50+ Parishes have a council hours & hours of service
Catholic Social Teachings - cornerstones of human dignity, solidarity and subsidiarity Principles of Catholic Social teachings began late 19 th century (invention, medicine, reduction slavery and population growth) Encyclicals - letter written by Popes to guide over 15 social encyclicals - Rerum Novarum Pope Leo XIII 1891 to the most recent Caritas in Veritate Pope Benedict XVI 2009
Catholic Social Teachings human equality rights & responsibilities charity & justice call to family economic initiative the universal purpose of creation the common good human dignity solidarity option for the poor & vulnerable call to community & participation dignity of work, right of workers
Human Dignity is the focus of our mission and ministry Call to family no relationship is more central than the family, state has obligation to respect the family (reunification) Call to community & participation participate in society and institutions that make up community Rights & Responsibilities right to food, shelter, education, employment, freedom responsibility to one another, our families, larger society Option for the Poor & Vulnerable base moral test of a society is how its most vulnerable are faring, defend and promote dignity Dignity of work, right of workers right to dignified work, right to join unions, economy exists to serve people, not the other way around Solidarity one human family national, racial, ethnic, economic and ideological differences, work for peace and global development The common good reaching one s full potential peaceful social order, extending beyond one s own borders to include the entire human family The universal purpose of creation goods of the earth for our benefit, they must be protected for future generations Charity and justice the practise of charity and the pursuit of justice are linked and complementary duties, charitable acts are essentials, but they are not a sufficient response, we are called to work for justice.
Protect human life Promote economic justice Pursue peace Care for Creation
15 million refugees in the world 27 million - internally displaced persons related to cases of violation of human rights 800,000 people are trafficked annually across national borders, and millions more are trafficked within their own borders Our Catholic Teachings We all reach Human potential The church and people are a source of Trust & Hope Holy Eucharist. is an inexhaustible source of communion for the whole humanity
Refugees (claimants, overseas, displaced) Sr Deborah Isaacs, Refugee Applications, OSJ RCAV Lindseigh Lochhead, Resettlement Outreach Worker, OSJ RCAV Temporary workers/farm Workers Fr Juan Luis Carbajal Tejeda CS, & Angela Contreras-Chavez Our Lady of Sorrows, Vancouver Trafficked Sexual Exploitation Sr Nancy Brown, Covenant House, Vancouver
Private Sponsorship Sponsorship agreement holder Constituent groups Relative linked vs. non relative linked Who can be sponsored Refugees outside their country of origin or habitual residence Not integrated into country of asylum Can not return to country of origin
How can we get started? If your parish decides to sponsor (read, learn and ask for a presentation from the Office of Service and Justice contact llochhead@rcav.org We will work together to fill out all applications, settlement plans and submit documentation to Immigration As a parish your commitment support to the family upon arrival for at least one year financially and providing practical support is critical
A hidden, criminal, lucrative industry.
1 2 3 PROCESS MEANS PURPOSE Recruiting or Transporting or Transferring or Harboring or Receipt of persons Threat or use of Force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or position of vulnerability, or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person Exploitation of prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or removal of organs (According to the Palermo UN Agreement 2000)
Prostitution Laws Nordic Model (Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Norway, South Korea, Philippines) Clearly focused on demand Defined as violence against women and children Goal is to abolish prostitution Attempting to or purchasing of sex is a crime Protects the victims Prostitution and Human trafficking has decreased Canadian Model Three elements Keeping a common bawdy house Procuring and living off the avails Procuring in public place No protection for victims
Temporary Migrant Workers Every year, over 150,000 foreign workers enter Canada to work temporarily in jobs that help Canadian employers address skill shortages, or to work as live-in caregivers. In 2010, Canada allowed 182, 322 temporary foreign workers to enter Canada to meet employers needs. See (www.cic.gc.ca. Citizenship and Immigration Canada) In 2000, 11 per cent of temporary foreign workers performed basis or unspecified skills now 34 per cent of them do.
Temporary migrant workers continue to be vulnerable to all kinds of indignity, abuse and danger, neglected both by their own governments and the countries in which they work. *Governments must be responsible. *Workers protection comes first. *Workers need to be able to communicate and express their concerns freely without penalty. *Employers need to be educated about their responsibilities under the various government programs and laws. *Temporary migrant workers have a right to be educated about their own rights and entitlements.
Refugees (claimants, overseas, displaced) Sr Deborah Isaacs - Refugee Applications, OSJ RCAV Lindseigh Lochhead, - Resettlement Outreach Worker, OSJ RCAV Temporary Workers/Farm Workers Fr Juan Luis Carbajal Tejeda cs - Our Lady of Sorrow, Vancouver Angela Contreras-Chavez Our Lady of Sorrows, Vancouver Trafficked Sexual Exploitation Sr Nancy Brown, Covenant House - Vancouver To contact the panel please call Evelyn Vollet at 604 683 0281 x234 or evollet@rcav.org
Are you one of God s Icebreakers? Fellowship True Caritas (love ) & serve our brothers & sisters towards justice We move to fellowship with our neighbours with Worship, Prayer and Love Service Provide support, comfort, care Duty - Volunteer Take care of needs that are present
Imagine if we all recognized we were God s Icebreakers how we would exude Fellowship (Love) Fellowship True Caritas (love ) & serve our brothers & sisters towards justice Service Provide support, comfort, care Duty - Volunteer Take care of needs that are present We move to fellowship with our neighbours with Worship, Prayer and Love
Restoring the world through CHRIST in Everyday Life Christ wants us to love God and then prove that by loving our neighbours. Catherine Doherty (founder of Madonna House)
Human Rights...offers the whole church an opportunity to reflect on a theme linked to the growing phenomenon of migration, to pray that hearts may open to Christian welcome and to the effort to increase in the world justice and charity, pillars on which to build an authentic and lasting peace Civil Rights Very clear that states have a right to regulate migration flows and to defend their own frontiers, always guaranteeing the respect due to the dignity of each and every human person. Popes Message for World Day of Migrants and Refugees (January 16, 2011)
We were all made in the very Image of GOD
Support the Migrant Workers /Temporary Workers Advocacy join the Coalition Provide support through food, clothing, suitcases, shoes, boots, toiletries Attend special celebrations for the Migrant workers Support the Refugees in your Parish community we ll show you how easy that can be! Support CWL resolutions and other activities Trafficking and Prostitution of Women Learn more Contact Evelyn Vollet at evollet@rcav.org or Lindseigh Lochhead at llochhead@rcav.org